Roller bearing drawer and guide



May 28, 1940.'

A, G. KENNEDY ROLLER BEARING DRAWER AN!) GUIDE Filed Dec. 5-, 1958$526676: Mae-fir Patented May 28, 1940 PATENT OFFECE ROLLER, BEARINGDRAWER AND GUIDE Albert C. Kennedy, Long Beach, Calif., assignor ofone-half to Janice 0. Kennedy, Long Beach,

Calif.

Application December 5, 1938, Serial No. 243,973

14 Claims.

My present invention may be considered as an improvement on or furtherdevelopment of my Patent No. 1,866,853 entitled Roller bearing drawerguide, issued July 12, 1932.

Such patent illustrates a typical construction of sliding drawers ofbuilt-in cabinet constructions in which extending inwardly from thedrawer opening in the wall or other fixture there are upper and lowerguide bars, such guide bars being utilized to guide the drawer and thelower bar functioning to support the inner end of the drawer, the upperbar functions to react to an upward thrust of the inner end of thedrawer when this is pulled out of the drawer opening a sufiicient amountto cause the portion inside of the fixture to be lighter than the partof the drawer outside and hence develop a slight upward tilt of theinner end and an upward pressure against the upper guide bar. In thisconstruction the sides of the drawer are supported and guided on rollerguides located on the fixture adjacent the drawer opening.

While the construction illustrated in my patent works or is operativesatisfactorily, nevertheless certain of the roller guides are somewhatdifficult to properly install, especially in building fixtures and Wherethe drawers are in confined spaces some of the fittings, especiallythose supporting the sides of the drawer, are somewhat too large in mypatent. In addition the construction of the patent requires four andsometimes five different shapes of brackets and assemblies of therollers. One of the main objects of this invention is to simplify theroller guide and have this of such construction that the main bracketand main horizontal rolls may all be the same. Such bracket is alsoconstructed so that it may be used without any marginal or verticalguide rollers or be provided with a roller fitted to make either a leftor a right guide or with double rollers to form a guide engagingopposite sides of a fixed structure. Another characteristic of thepresent bracket relates to the manner of mounting these on the drawerand the fixed structure in that there is a flange provided which may besecured by nails to the edge of a board and whether this forms the edgeof the wall fixture at the drawer opening or the lower or upper edges ofthe inner end of the drawer. The present construction allows the guidesto be made without unnecessary projecting portions and hence adapts theinvention to more confined spaces. Further as to attachment to the wallfixture, the guides may be readily attached after the wall fixture isbuilt in place.

Another feature of my invention relates to the detail construction ofthe axles, especially for the vertical guide rollers, these beingdesigned to be riveted or upset into place without creating a frictionof the rolleradjacent a lip or the like on which the axle and roller ismounted. My invention also comprehends certain modified forms of thebracket and roller guide for attachment to the face of a board indistinction to attachment to the edge.

. My invention is illustrated in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a buildin fixture with thedrawer guides, the drawer fitting therein and the various roller guides.

Fig. 2 is a plan of one of the drawer guides taken in the direction ofthe arrow 2 of Fig. 3 illustrating the complete guide, such as used onthe inner lower edge of a drawer, this illustration however beinginverted from the position in which the device is actually used.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. 2 taken in the direction of thearrow 3 partly broken away.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 4 of Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a modified construction of roller guideadapted tobe attached to the inner face of the inner end of a drawer,this being shown inverted from the position of actual use.

Fig. 6 is aside elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 6 of Fig.5.

Referring to the general construction of fixture as shown in Fig. 1, thewall fixture is indicated by the numeral II, this having a draweropening l2 defined as having a lower edge I3, two opposite side edges l4and a top edge l5. Extending inwardly from the inner face of thewall'fixture and above the opening there is an upper guide bar [6, thelower surface ll being either in alignment with or slightly above theupper edge iii of the drawer opening. The lower guide bar 18 alsoextends inwardly from the wall fixture and has its upper edge is alignedwith or slightly below the lower edge I3 of the drawer opening. This isillustrated as having parallel side edges 20. It is the usual practiceto make the upper and lower guides 16 and I! both of the same dimensionsalthough this is not necessary. The drawer designated 25 is indicated ashaving opposite sides 26, an inner end 21, such end having an upper edge28, a lower edge 29 and an inner face 30. The sides 26 are designated ashaving a lower edge 3| and an outer face 32. These various details aregiven to indicate in a further description the manner in which thevarious drawer guides made up for the vertical fitting are utilized andoperate with the various surfaces.

Dealing with the complete roller guide of Figs. 2, 3 and 4, such beingdesignated by the numeral 35, this employs a supporting bracketdesignated 36, such being provided with a horizontal flange 31 withhorizontal lips 38 connected to the flange by a neck strip 39. Theselips are in the same plane as the flange 37. The flange has an inneredge 40 which is in substantial alignment with the edge ll of the lips.Extending at right angles to the lips there is a vertical flange 42, theinside of such flange and the edge Ml being substantially in the sameplane. The lips 38 are defined as having an inside edge t3 and at thisedge there are a pair of parallel ears 44. Such ears are therefore atright angles to the plane of the flange 31 and the lips 38 and are atright angles to the flanges 42. The large flange 31 is provided withperforations for attaching nails, screws or the like and these are theonly places necessary to attach the bracket to the supporting structuresuch as the edge of a board.

The main horizontal roller mounting 56 has an axle 5i which extendsthrough perforations 52 in the ears 44. Prior to the insertion theroller 53 is fitted over the axles, the axles are then upset asindicated at 5 5, this being a type of riveting, however, the ears areso spaced that this upsetting action of the axle does not bind theroller but leaves this free to rotate on the axle and confined by theears. It is to be noted that the roller is of sufficient diameter thatit projects slightly above the plane of the large flange 3? and the lips38.

These lips 38 are utilized for mounting vertical roller assembliesdesignated 66 and each lip is provided with a perforation 6| in which isfitted an axle 82. The axle 62 has a reduced diameter end 63 forming ashoulder 641. The reduced section fits snugly in the perforation BI andthe shoulder engages the upper face of the lip 38. The upper end of theaxle has a beveled head 65. The roller 66 is journalled on the axle andhas a countersunk end 61 to receive the beveled head of the axle. Theprojecting portion of the reduced section 63 is then upset or rivetedwhich securely attaches the axle to the lip 38 and on account of theshoulder 64 having a snug fit against the surface of the lip, theupsetting action cannot bind the edge of the roller 64 against the lip,the short axles being made of sufficient length in proportion to therollers so that this upsetting 01' riveting may take place Without anybinding action. In the construction illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4,there are two of these rollers, one mounted on each of the lips.

In the assembly, the complete roller guide is utilized in the positiondesignated H3 in which the flange Si is attached to the under edge 29 ofthe inner end of the drawer and the rollers extend beyond the inner face30 of such end. The center roller 53 operates on the upper surface 19 ofthe lower guide bar l8 and the two rollers 66 engage the opposite sidefaces 28 of the same guide bar, therefore there is a three place contactof the complete roller guide attached to the inner end of the drawerwith the lower guide.

The guide H to engage the upper guide bar omits the two vertical rollerassemblies 60 but for the sake of simplicity of manufacture, theconstruction is made with the lips 38 which are necessary to providematerial to support the cars 32 for the main roller. This device isattached with the flange 37 secured to the upper edge 28 of the innerend of the drawer and the roller extending beyond the inner face 39.This main roller 53 is thus in a position to engage the under-surface llof the upper guide bar It. It is not necessary therefore to have thevertical rollers as the drawer is already guided by the vertical rollerson the lower guide iii.

The guides attached to the wall fixture and designated '12 and '13 aremade in rights and lefts, that is, one of the roller assemblies Gil isomitted, therefore in the construction shown both guides have the flange3? secured to the lower edge 53 of the drawer opening I2 of the wallfixture H. The main or horizontal roller 53 engages the under-edge 3| ofthe side 29 whereas the single vertical roller engages the outside face32 of the drawer side, therefore the drawer is guided by the horizontalrollers on both sides engaging the lower edges of the sides of thedrawer and by the vertical rollers which engage the outside face of bothsides of the drawer. Therefore by using the four guide rollerassemblies, the drawer is properly guided .for straight line motion inopening and closing of such drawer.

By this construction of bracket assemblies it will be noted that theflange 37 is the main supporting element for the bracket but in theusual practice this is fitted on the horizontal top edge of a board. Thedownwardly depending vertical flanges at right angles to the horizontalfiange 3'2 engage the face of the board and thus present a rigidattachment in that these receive a thrust due to weight placed on themain roller 53. They also resist any twist due to a lateral pressure onone or other of the small vertical rollers 66. The attachment is quitesimple for as above mentioned it is only necessary to use nails throughthe flange 31.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is illustrated a modified construction of bracketand roller guide assembly designated by the assembly numeral 8!]. Thishas. a right angular bracket 8| provided with a vertical flange 82, thishaving perforations 83 for attaching screws or the like and also a notchB l for an additional screw or to be used in centering the bracket. Atright angles to the flange 82 there are a pair of horizontal lips 85 andbent downwardly from the inner edge of these lips there are a pair ofopposite cars 86. These ears form a journal support for the horizontalroller mounting which is the same as presented in Figs. 1 through 4, theears 86 being the equivalent to the ears 4E. The vertical rollerassemblies Bil are mounted on the horizontal lips 85 which areequivalent in function to the hori zontal lips 33 of Figs. 2, 3 and 4,the vertical rollers having the same type of axle and being riveted inposition.

In the use of the bracket assembly of Figs. 5 and 6 it will be apparentthat the construction may be provided with two vertical rollers asillustrated in Fig. 5 or with only one roller positioned as a left or aright hand construction or with no vertical rollers and will thereforecorrespond repectively to the mounting indicated at l0, l2 and H ofFig. 1. In this case however the flange 82 is attached to the face 81 ofa board and the horizontal lips 85 are usually in alignment with theupper edge 88 of the same board. The main roller 53 extends slightlyabove the upper edge of the board.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the spirit or T5 scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device as described, in which a fixture has a drawer opening andis provided with upper and lower guide bars extending inwardly from theopening, a drawer mounted to slide through said opening and between thebars, the combination of a roller mounting having a flange secured tothe lower surface of the drawer and provided with a pair of lips in thesame plane as the flange, a pair of vertical guide rollers mounted onthe lips and a horizontal roller with a mounting means between the saidlips, the roller being adapted to engage the upper surface of the lowerguide bar, there being a pair of roller mountings one on each side ofthe drawer opening at the lower corners thereof each having a. flangefitted on the lower edge of the opening of the fixture and each having apair of lips one of such lips having a vertical roller mounted thereon,means forming a mounting for a horizontal roller between the lips, thehorizontal roller being adapted to engage underneath the sides of thedrawer,

2. A device as described in claim 1, a fourth roller mounting having aflange and a pair of lips in alignment therewith, the flange beingsecured to the upper edge of the inner end of the drawer with the lipsextending rearwardly, ears secured to the lips and at right anglesthereto, and a horizontal roller journaled in said ears, the horizontalroller being positioned to engage the underside of the upper guide bar.

3. A device as described in claim 1, the means forming the mounting ofthe horizontal roller on the lips including each of the lips beingprovided with an ear at right angles to the plane ofthe lips and. of theflange, the ears being spaced apart and parallel, and the horizontalroller hav ing an axle mounted in the said ears.

4. A roller mounting for drawers comprising a bracket having a flangeand a pair of lips in the same plane, the lips being spaced apart, eachlip being connected by a neck to the main flange,

a pair of vertical flanges extending from the lips at right angles tothe plane of the main flange, the lips having means constructed andadapted each for mounting a vertical roller, and a means for mounting ahorizontal roller betwe'en the two lips, means for mounting thehorizontal roller comprising an ear connected to each lip, the earsfacing towards each other and being at right .angles to the plane of themain flange and the lips and also at right angles to the secondaryflanges, the horizontal roller having an axle extending between the saidears.

5. In a device as described, a roller mounting including a brackethaving a main horizontal flange constructed and adapted to attaching toan edge of a board, a pair of lips extending from the said flange and inthe same plane therewith, a narrow neck connecting each lip with acorner portion of the flange, the lips being spaced apart and adapted tobe positioned offset from the edge of the board, an ear connected toeach lip and occupying a vertical plane, a shaft mounted between the twoears, and a horizontal roller journaled on said shaft.

6. A device as described in claim 5, each of the lips having aperforation and at least one of the lips having a vertical shaftextending through said perforation and riveted thereto with a verticalroller journaled on such vertical shaft.

7. In a device as described, a roller mounting including a brackethaving a main horizontal flange, a pair of horizontal lips eachconnected to the said flange by a neck strip, the-main flange beingsubstantially rectangular and each lip being substantially rectangular,the neck strips being at the corners, a pair of ears each connected to alip and occupying a vertical plane extending downwardly from. the planeof the said flange and lips, a secondary flange connected to each lipand extending vertically and in the same direction as the pair of ears,the vertical planes of the ears and the secondary flanges being at rightangles, a shaft journaled in the ears and a horizontal roller mounted onsuch shaft.

8. A device as described in claim '7, each lip having a perforation, atleast one of the perforations having a vertical shaft extendingtherethrough, such shaft being provided with a shoulder and upset toform a riveted attachment and a vertical roller mounted on such verticalshaft.

9. Ina device as described, in'which a fixture has a drawer opening andis provided with upper and lower guide bars extending inwardly from theopening, a drawer mounted to slide between said opening and between thebars, the combination of a roller mounting having a vertical flange toengage a vertical surface at the inner end of the drawer, means toattach the bracket to the inner end of the drawer, a pair of horizontallips spaced apart, a pair of vertical ears one attached to the inneredge of each lip, a horizontal roller journaled between the ears, a pairof vertical rollers mounted on the lips, a horizontal roller engagingthe upper edge of the lower guide bar and the vertical rollers engagingeach side, a sec- 0nd and third guide roller mounting each including abracket with a pair of lips spaced apart, a vertical, flange connectedto each lip, means to attach each bracket to the fixture adjacent thedoor opening, a pair of ears one secured to each lip positionedvertically, a horizontal roller journaled in the ears, a vertical rollermounted on one of the lips of each bracket, the horizontal rollersengaging the underside of the drawer and the vertical rollers the outerside of the drawer.

10. A device as described in claim 9, a fourth roller mounting having abracket with a pair of horizontal lips spaced apart, a verticalflangeconnected to each lip, means to attach the bracket to the innerend of the drawer, a pair of vertical ears one attached to the inneredge of each lip, a horizontal roller being positioned to engage thelower edge of the upper guide bar.

11. A roller drawer guide comprising in combination a roller mountingbracket of integral sheet material including a pair of lips spaced apartand in the same horizontal plane, a pair of vertical ears, eachdepending downwardly directly from an edge of a lip, said ears beingparallel and facing towards each other, a vertical flange dependingdownwardly from another edge of each lip, the flange being at rightangles to the ears an edge of a lip, said ears being parallel and facingtowards each other, a vertical flange depending downwardly from anotheredge of each lip, the flange being at right angles to the ears andconstructed and adapted to contact one side of a board, means forattaching said bracket to such board, and a horizontal roller journaledbetween said ears and having its periphery spaced from the verticalflange on a lip, each lip having a perforation and one of the lipshaving a vertical axle with a shoulder riveted at said perforation, avertical roller on the axle, the periphcry of the vertical roller beingspaced from the vertical flange, said axle and the lip to which it isriveted forming the sole support for the vertical roller.

13. A roller bearing drawer guide comprising in combination a rollermounting bracket of integral sheet material including a single mainvertical flange to engage the face of a board, with means for attachingsaid flange to the board, a pair of lips each extending laterallydirectly from the upper edge of said flange, the lip being in the samehorizontal plane and spaced apart, an ear depending from an edge of eachlip, the ears being in vertical planes spaced apart and at right anglesto the flange, and a horizontal roller journalled between said ears andhaving its periphery spaced from the vertical flange, each lip having aperforation adapted to form with the lip the sole mounting of a verticalroller.

14. A roller bearing drawer guide comprising in combination a rollermounting bracket of integral sheet material including a single mainvertical flange to engage the face of a board, with means for attachingsaid flange to the board, a pair of lips each extending laterallydirectly from the upper edge of said flange, the lips being in the samehorizontal plane and spaced apart, an ear depending from an edge of eachlip, the ears being in vertical planes spaced apart and at right anglesto the flange, and a horizontal roller journalled between said ears andhaving its periphery spaced from the vertical flange, each lip having aperforation and one of the lips having a vertical axle with a shoulderriveted at said perforation, a vertical roller on the axle, theperiphery of the vertical roller being spaced from the vertical flange,said axle and the lip to which it is riveted forming the sole supportfor the vertical roller.

ALBERT C. KENNEDY.

